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Top 20 Players NHL Teams Would Love to Dump This Season

Most NHL teams don’t mind paying out huge contracts to players as long as they get decent value in return. However, things are a bit different when they’re shelling out big bucks for guys who aren’t contributing. Teams also get annoyed when they’ve handed out no-trade or no-movement clauses to a player based on his past performances and his production then tails off. This list is made up of players teams would or should like to get rid of if they had the chance. The main reason the clubs would like to jettison these players is due to contract length, cost, and salary cap hit combined with lack of production, games missed due to injury, and the player’s age.

Some teams would like to trade players because of the return they’d bring and in some instances the players are having off-ice problems. It’s probably easier coming up with a list like this since during the regular season since most teams have had all summer to offload players they didn’t want. However, some clubs are still stuck with a player or two they’d rather not have. These aren’t necessarily bad players, but they just don’t seem to fit in with the club’s future plans or haven’t lived up to their potential since being acquired.

Therefore, these players could be replaced by others of similar age and contracts. Some teams have done a fine job of compiling their rosters and haven’t committed long-term to anybody they may regret. This is why the list doesn’t include each of the 30 franchises. But to even things out here, only one player per team has been chosen for the list. If NHL teams could turn back time or see into the future, these are players they may not have signed or drafted in the first place.

6 Tanner Glass - New York Rangers

5 Bobby Ryan - Ottawa Senators

4 Vincent Lecavalier - Philadelphia Flyers

3 Rob Scuderi - Pittsburgh Penguins

Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

2 Joe Thornton - San Jose Sharks

Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

1 Dion Phaneuf - Toronto Maple Leafs

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After putting fans through one of the most miserable seasons in Leafs history, the team basically got rid of one major player during the offseason when Phil Kessel was shipped to Pittsburgh. The ripping apart of the roster didn’t happen and the squad is still left with the likes of Tyler Bozak, Joffrey Lupul and captain Dion Phaneuf. The fans would like to see Phaneuf go because of his lack of leadership skills and production as well as his penchant for taking bad penalties, giveaways, and making bad plays.

The Leafs have are loaded up with young defenceman such as Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner who should be being groomed for the top two spots on the blue line during the Leafs supposed rebuild. The 30-year-old has five years to go on his seven-year deal though with an average salary of $7 million and a no-movement clause.